Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-01-27
ANTI.SUBMISSION
BY MORAN.

made a telling anti-submissionist
speech in the Senate, which is SAID to
have surprised both friends and foes.
The keynote sounded by him is of
sufficient worth to be reproduced as
far as the crowded state of the
LEDGER columns will permit.
The Hon. Senator commenced by
stating a well-recognized Democratic
fundamental principle, that the equal
rights and welfare of individuals
are the true and only legitimate Oh
iects of legislation, and hat in the
representative governments of the
American states are to be found the
only devices by which these rights
can be maintained and this happi-
ness secured, viz: Government not
by the people personally and directly
but by representatives elected for
that purpose. There is a good deal
said nowadays about trusting the
people. 1t seems to be forgotten
that the people created these very
governments because their functions
could not be properly carried out by
the multitude. In all constitutional
government there ought to be three
departments. the Legislative, execu-
sive and judicial, and these cannot be
separately exercised by any large
number of individuals. Moreover,
these departments need salutary
checks to keep them to their proper
spheres, which cannot be placed on
the people assembled or voting in
their sovereign capacity. To submit
matters of mere police regulation
therefore to such a body would be a
step backward to the dark ages and
would be to override all the protec-
ton which our present constitutions
give to individual right and liberty.
In such submission where is the line
to be drawn between organic provis-
ion and legislation enactment? 1t
would be a bold absurdity for the
representatives of the people recent
" elected and instructed and fully
commissioned to make needful law
to submit to the people whether they
should be empowered to act. A
constitution is not a code of laws for
social government. Its province is to
set forth the principles that underlie
that government. It provides for
division of power and limits the ex-
erclse of it. In Legislation the peo-
pie act through accountable repre-
sentatlves. If the people desired OF
if 1t was best fer the people to legis-
late directly, why was this general
assembly created? Why did not the
people retain that power? The con-
c~lusion is irresistible that the people
in creating a legislature have express
ed their profound conviction that ii
is best for the welfare of the state
that the multitude should not direct
ly and Immediately legislate concern
ing social interests. All Legitimate
popular powers have been entrusted
to our Legislature and they that insist
Nom amendments to the constitution
For the correction of evils, the legis.
lature has full power to deal with, are
ignorant of the first principles of in.
stitutional liberty. Those clamorous
to do so seem to deem the Genera.
Assembly q kind Of special agency
for the increase of certain powers
instead of a Legislative entrusted witt
plenary authority to enact laws al
discretion. The General Assembl,
already possesses full power to abol
fish the liquor traffic, to make It's man,
<ufacture or sale a felony, punishable
by Imprisonment in the penitentiary
The real question at issue, is: Are
such enactments imperative Woult
they promote the happiness and pros
perity of The people? II they would
it is the duty Of the Legislature t.
enact them. Our powers are as pie
nary as they could be made by ex
press ~prohibitory constitutions
amendment. But if such enact
ments are deemed undesirable O
impracticable, then it is inexpedi
ent to submit an amendment which
in our best judgments, it would b.
prejudicial to the interests of th,
people to adopt. 1t is the rawest o
Inconsistency in Senators to pose /,
favor of submission while protesting
against prohibition. To be for sub
mission and against prohibition seem.
to be as improbable a character as t.
be an honest thief or o virtuous Jez
ebei. A snbmission-anti-prohibitio
ist are terms for characters in direct
antagonism. They do rot and can
not be consistently claimed as attach
ing to one and the same individual
The attempted disguise is too thin